bilby

No ! I love it ! Thank you ..

You are doing your best, & I really congratulate you for recognising the problem when it arose & for asking for help. I doubt any dog owner has always got it right . I thought I was reasonably savvy about dog behaviour etc until my son returned home with a - then 10-months-old - JRT. I'd only had large dogs before, & (with hindsight) dogs that were "soft" /trainable/biddable. Axle is so very different & was a considerable challenge for the 1st year or so. I was very grateful for the assistance of Gem, my elderly GSD in setting very firm boundaries on how far his very dominant play towards my (55kg) Mastiff X was allowed to go. He has changed enormously in the last 18 months, despite Gem's death. Maybe it's age (he's now 3), but I think the introduction of a Labrador pup 13 months ago has a lot to do with it. They absolutely exhaust each other in play & though he is so much more aggressive than she is, her size & amiability gives her the edge. Having said that, I wouldn't trust him with another dominant dog. My b-i-l thinks that if they bought their male Airedale up to visit, the dogs would "just sort it out" & then be best buddies. My sister & I disagree (strongly). I wish that I'd had Axle here earlier in his life & that I'd known that it seems he's staying long term. He is such a smart dog. Like you, we have 5 acres & because he has the other 2 dogs, I haven't done anything about socialising. You know what ? As I've been typing this, & trying to get my thoughts in order, I've just realised that he is only 3, & I should also get Axle assessed by a professional, & see if I can minimise my fear / his unsociability. My main point was to be that I can't imagine having a JRT / JRT X in a single dog household. I still can't, & my focus would be getting the expert advice to enable you to get him a companion. I think I'll go off & find out more about working Axles's issues out. Good luck.

A friend has just achieved Tracking Champion with her rescue border collie, & I want to send her an email with an appropriate animated picture. She has worked so hard for so many years with a dog that had been so abused & was on Death Row. I've hunted & hunted on the net but can't find anything. Just looking for something like a tracking border collie, applauding group of dogs, border collie with a star .. anything like that. Thanks

Because of Bouf's mis-diagnosed chronic lameness in puppyhood, he was 8 months & 55kg before we got back out to Obedience. A very nervous instructor sent me back to the carpark the minute she saw us approaching (he was walking nicely on lead) & insisted I bought & put a Halti on him before we were allowed near the class. She made me even more nervous than I was already, but I have to say that the Halti did make me feel more in control. Not as in control as I'd felt about my amiable dog before I got out the car but more in control than I felt after he was treated as Cujo. Bouf did make huge plunging play-bows when we were actually allowed near the other dogs The Halti was useful then for helping me calm down & regain a bit of the confidence that I'd lost. A miniature Poodle called Napoleon & his 8 year old handler restored most of the rest as they flung themselves on Bouf & adored him for the rest of the classes. Bouf never needed a Halti or a lead in later classes ( after I changed trainers) Halti's are probably great short-term for dogs who need re-training but I would hate to see them used routinely. Lazy lazy as someone said.

They really do need the appropriate size 1 for their body weight for it to work correctly. All of them have different strength bungee cord on them. The larger the size, the stronger the bungee cord is. So a little dog I doubt would have sufficient weight to get enough movement happening for food to be dispensed from a large dog home alone I did think that might be it ! I didn't bother about getting a smaller one because Axle doesn't care much about food, he just played on it for ages anyway to get the tugging & swinging. He used to look like those fairground rides .. horizontally circling flat out. The only reason's he's stopped playing so much on it is because we've added Bess to the pack & they play tug & chase together all day long. I reckon they're brilliant & well worth the money if you have a dog interested in tugging &/or food.

i never worked out how the food is meant to come out .. but maybe that's because I have the 50kg + size ball & Axle only weighs 5 kg. Bouf was/is not interested. We started Axle off just by swinging it & even though there's no food, he used to go crazy swinging & tugging on it.

I thought ours must be a factory reject with the hole at the top ! Specially since I won the 50kg dog + version in a competitition. 50 kg + dog has never played with it. 5kg JRT has had hours & hours & hours of play with it. The fact that food never emerged didn't bother him .. the TUG factor & spinning around on the end has absolutely enthralled him.

yes , yes , yessss, yesssssssssssssssss Reminder Diary Entry : Do NOT take dogs in car for prolonged trips after giving bones on previous day. You are not alone, benny.

You know where my pool is. Might be a bit far, but you're welcome to come up & use it anytime. I have got a ramp somewhere too. If I'm not there & it's full of young men, select the one with dreadlocks & tell him to put the dogs away, get the lads out & to nick off round to the orange tree & get you a bagful. His mates are country boy dog-owners/lovers .. so if you need any help, just give them directions. (((((((((((((( Ebony)))))))))))))))))))))

Frozen brisket bones ?

I have Pet Cover with my SGIO Home & Contents policy. $25 Accident Cover per pet per year. $100 excess but up to $500 per incident per pet. I'd had no vet bills for years but thought I might as well add it on. I had multiple incidents for the next few months .. I think I'm decades ahead in premiums/claims .. so I'm sorry SGIO .. but brilliant cover

Murdoch was excellent for Bouf's TWO 2 years ago. Both the surgeon & the surgical nurse were so caring, took so much time with us. The reception & kennel staff were the same. I can't imagine getting a higher standard of care anywhere.

Hullo guys .. how are you all ? Bouf is great physically ... but a bit grumpy with our newest addition. He won't let her sleep with him, the meanie. Gem, my beloved GSD, died from bloat. a couple of months back. Fine in the afternoon, dead at 9pm despite rushing her to the nearest vet hospital. Bess is 12 weeks today, & lifts the gloom a bit. Though one of the many many ways in which I hadn't realised how I'd miss Gem is how good she was at training pups. Bouf & Axle just don't do it right .. must be a male thing. TAKE NOTE, boys ! I do not want her to learn how to get through fences, I do not want her to learn to poop inside just because it's winter & you're a JRT who hates getting wet, I do not want her to learn to climb trees .. but Bess is pretty cluey & smart ( sorry, Bouf - but it is very exciting to have a pup who "gets" it) & Axle is a great playmate for her

I didn't think you were rude .. :D I'm glad you made me think.

Thanks poodle .. :D I felt so dumb when I was asked .. I know they're large dogs .. why DID I buy the Medium